Njokuani (10-4), 25, hears rumors that he’s in the running for an octagon contract as he competes in Resurrection Fighting Alliance, an unofficial feeder league to the industry-leader.

It would be a natural fit. His older brother, Anthony, is a six-time UFC vet. He already knows the staff from attending events. Even UFC matchmaker Joe Silva attended one of his fights in the RFA, which ended in a third-round TKO victory.

But don’t bother him with the idea that his next fight is the one to secure his golden ticket. Especially not for his upcoming fight, a meeting with wrestler Chris Heatherly (7-1) on Friday at RFA 13, which takes place at Pershing Center in Lincoln, Neb., and airs live on AXS TV.

“What would suck is if I got that comment (that my next fight would get me in the UFC), and then I win the fight, and I don’t get to go and I have to fight again,” Njokuani told MMAjunkie Radio. “Then I’d be like, ‘They told me I was already in the UFC; I don’t even care about this fight.’ That would suck.

“But just to hear it, it makes me feel good.”

Njokuani wants to fight on the same card as his older brother, as they did earlier in their careers. He would even favor the UFC if they came to him with a reasonable offer, though he said he would also entertain work for other promotions such as World Series of Fighting.

The reward from working for top promotions doesn’t escape him.

“[Money] doesn’t mean a lot to me, but I know it would help a lot for the people around me,” he said.

What’s most important, he said, is keeping his mind clear as he’s competing. People look at him and see his brother’s accomplishments, and it’s up to him to live up to that standard. So when he fights, he closes himself off from any type of stimulation.

“The pressure comes from being the younger brother of a UFC fighter,” Njokuani said. “That’s where it’s like, we’ve seen your brother fight; we’ve seen him knock out people. Now let’s see if you can do it.

“I actually don’t watch any fights before me. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to think there should be any other pressure on me. I don’t even watch my teammates. I just stay in the back.”

He expects that focus to help him prevail when he meets Heatherly, whose specialty has the potential to expose his weakness. Like his brother, Njokuani is firstly a striker and feels less comfortable on the ground. Avoiding a long grappling match isn’t just better for his career, but better for his confidence in the cage.

“He’s a good wrestler, and everybody knows the ground isn’t my strength,” Njokuani said. “But I’m not afraid to go in there and get taken down. I know what I need to watch out for, but nothing concerns me.”

So far, the RFA has recently sent more than a half-dozen fighters to the UFC, and the promotion’s president said it’s his goal to act as a pipeline for regional talent to get tested before heading to the international stage. Njokuani knows this as well as anyone else, and maybe he’s already been told he’s on the short list.

It’s just that right now, he doesn’t want to know he’s next.

“It will be cool to fight for them one day and be on the same card as my brother, like we used to do back in the day,” Njokuani said. “It will feel like more of an accomplishment to me, but I’m not picky.”

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to http://www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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